The Chaser and the Prefect
by OfNotebooksAndCoffeeShops
Summary: Beca Mitchell, the star Chaser of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, could have anyone at Hogwarts that she wants. Anyone but Chloe Beale, a Prefect who can't stand the arrogant Chaser. Getting to know her could change her mind, but her preconceived disdain is hard to get past. Especially when Chloe's boyfriend is one of the Chaser's biggest enemies. (Bechloe/Harry Potter AU)
1. Hogwarts Express

**Chapter 1:** Hogwarts Express

Though the Hogwarts Express had only just left Kings Cross Station, the Prefects' Carriage was already fully occupied by students dressed in their full school attire.

The carriage was sectioned off by house, something clearly seen when entering the luxurious compartment. Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were across from one and other with the Ravenclaws and Slytherins behind them, the main goal being to separate the Slytherin students from the Gryffindors. The differences between the two houses may have settled a great deal after the Second Wizarding War, but the heated rivalry lived on with the two often clashing heads. Not even the Prefects were immune to the effects of the continued race.

Chloe Beale, a sixth year, sat in the seat nearest the window to allow her a chance to see the passing countryside while the Head Boy and Girl ran through the duties of Prefects. The speech was mainly for the newly appointed fifth year students, so she wasn't missing anything of importance.

She was pulled from her thoughts as the Head Girl of Gryffindor, a seventh year by the name of Amelia, clapped her hands together and announced, "We'll be patrolling the cars third, so feel free to mingle with the others once Slytherin goes."

As if on cue, the students clad in their black robes with emerald green lining stood and began to file out of the compartment. Chloe caught the eye of the tall Slytherin Head Boy, the green badge on his collar shining against his new robes. She gave him a small grin, Tom responding with a well-practiced wink before he was out of sight. The redhead had been dating the older boy for nearly two years now, a fact that many of her friends deemed odd since she was one of the most competitive people they had ever met.

The Gryffindor section quickly dispersed around the cabin, leaving Chloe to her own devices as she shrugged off her robes and placed them beside her.

In a flash of blonde, Aubrey Posen was seated across from her as if she had been sitting there since they had boarded the train. She had also shed her robes, choosing to show off her charcoal jumper with blue lining while they awaited their turn to walk the length of the train.

"I swear, they just gave the exact same speech they did last year," Aubrey commented, leaning closer to her friend so as not to be overheard by the others.

Chloe couldn't help but grin at the appalled look on her best friend's face, remarking, "Honestly, I wasn't paying attention. I have no idea what Amelia or Tom said."

Aubrey let out a giggle, her hair bouncing with the movement of her shoulders. Her next words were cut off by the arrival of two younger students in their peripheral vision, the pair nervously wandering from across the isle.

"Hi," the tall, brunette girl greeted. Her smile was one that could rival even Chloe's, though it seemed a bit shaky at the corners from nerves. "Um- We're new a-and not sure what to do."

The redhead straightened her spine, a welcoming smile gracing her features as she explained, "Well, we all patrol by Houses, so right now we're just waiting for the shifts to change."

"I think Hufflepuff goes last, so you both have a while before you even need to worry about getting ready," Aubrey threw in.

"W-What do we do till then?" the curly-haired boy asked, his hands firmly in place behind his back.

"Relax and make friends with the other Prefects," the blonde grinned. She extended her hand to the two fifth years to introduce herself, "I'm Aubrey Posen."

The girl stepped up first, "Emily Junk."

"Benji Applebaum," the boy said quickly. They both turned to the redhead, their smiles widening slightly as they felt the warmth radiating from the redhead's personality.

"Chloe Beale," she shook their hands. "It was nice to meet you."

The boy nodded his head while Emily waved at them both as they scampered back across the isle, leaving the friends on their own once again.

Aubrey shook her head, a laugh threatening to break through her lips as she said, "I guess not everyone repeated the speech."

"You're in a particularly chipper mood today," Chloe stated, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She leaned back against the cushioned seat, her brilliant blue eyes roaming her typically uptight best friend.

The blonde shrugged, her hands falling into her lap as she crossed her legs, "And you're just _bursting_ at the seams with excitement." Her voice was laced with a teasing lilt as she continued, "People are going to start thinking you've been eating sweets out of a Skiving Snackbox."

"Fever Fudge is a personal favorite," she threw back with a straight face.

" _Please_ ," Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Now what's ruining the Ray of Sunshine's mood? Did Tom do something? I'm not opposed to jinxing-"

"No, Tom's fine," she assured. "I'm just tired. My family got back from Romania yesterday, so I've not had a chance to settle down yet."

"Romania?"

"Elliot started working at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary, so we went to visit," Chloe explained, jumping to her feet and reaching for her trunk in the overhead bin. In one swift motion, she opened it and plucked a small book from between the mess of clothes before shutting it once again. She flicked her wand and sent the trunk back to its place above them, sitting down next to her friend. "Here."

The blonde took the book, opening it to find a photograph being protected between the pages. The picture showed the entire Beale family huddling together and then ducking down as a dragon shot flames into the air. Chloe was in the middle of the group, her eldest brother Elliot to her right with his red hair now down to his shoulders, her elder brother William to his right and his hair now shaggy and lying in his face, while their youngest brother Alexander was to Chloe's left, his hair now cropped short against his head. Their parents, Victoria and George, stood close behind their children and had one arm around each other. Each of them dressed as if they were on a simply hike through the mountains instead of surrounded by magical creatures.

"Merlin, I barely recognize Elliot with that hair," she stated, her tone portraying that it was meant to be taken as a compliment.

Chloe pointed to the dragon behind them in the moving picture, "That's a Norwegian Ridgeback that he's been studying this summer. Alex kept trying to feed it and almost lost his eyebrows after we took this."

"It's been ages since I've seen your family," Aubrey said, her hair flying behind her as she turned to face her friend. "Isabelle works for the Daily Prophet, so there aren't any exciting dragons to visit there."

The redhead giggled at the thought of Aubrey's older sister, Isabelle, being around a dragon. If people thought that she could be uptight, then they were in for a shock when they met her drill-sergeant of a sister. "Why don't you come home with me over the holidays?"

"I think my father is going to be traveling to America over break," she mentioned, her bottom lip being pulled between her teeth in thought.

"El would love to come home to a surprise," Chloe teased. It was well known that Aubrey had a crush on her eldest brother, the boy having made no attempts to stop her flirting over the years and even returning it on occasions once they both got older.

Aubrey leaned back in her seat, "I'll write him once we get settled, but I'm sure I can make it work."

"Good, Mum and Dad said things just weren't right without their other daughter-" Before the redhead could finish her sentence, a loud _crash_ came from the train car beside them. Chloe had her wand drawn in a flash, a sigh escaping her lips as she made her way towards the noise, Aubrey close behind and telling the other Prefects that they had it covered. "We've not even been on the train an hour."

The duo rushed through the door, finding the corridor of the next car a mess. On the floor before them was an unconscious sixth year Ravenclaw slumped against the wall, each of the compartment doors to their right were wide open and had different students poking their head out to see the commotion. Standing over the passed out student was a rough looking Gryffindor still in street clothing, her wand drawn.

"Mitchell!" Chloe barked at the fellow sixth year.

"Afternoon, Beale," Beca greeted with a smirk as if she hadn't just cast a charm on someone. She bent down to pick something off the ground, grabbing another wand from beside the Ravenclaw and turning to reveal a young Hufflepuff standing behind her. The boy accepted his wand with a grateful smile, slowly backing away with a 'thank you' before heading back to his original compartment. Beca turned back to face the pair, stepping around the body beneath her to stand in front of the Prefects.

Chloe motioned at the boy on the ground, an angry breath escaping her as she asked, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I was retrieving a stolen item," she disclosed, her hand moving to replace her wand in an inner pocket of her jacket and her shoulders pushed back in confidence.

"How would you like to be the reason that Gryffindor loses points before we even get to Hogwarts?" she threatened, the tip of her wand edging closer to the brunette. Something about the confident tone in her voice sent Chloe closer to the edge, the rage inside of her bubbling to the top.

Beca put her hands up in surrender, laughing, "He'll wake up, I promise."

Chloe clenched her teeth in annoyance, stepping back only after Aubrey had gently placed an arm between the two and taken over the conversation, "Just take him back to his compartment and we'll forget it happened. Deal?"

"You got it," Beca promised. She backed away with a smirk, leaning down to grasp at the boy's ankles to drag him back down the length of the train. The sight would have been hilarious if it weren't for the boiling annoyance that sat within the redhead, but the Ravenclaw still found a moment to smile at the incident.

Aubrey reached down for Chloe's hand, tugging her back to the Prefects' Carriage as the redhead took calming breaths. The two sat down once again opposite one and other, the auburn-haired girl letting a groan out against her hands.

"He'll be perfectly fine," Aubrey commented, attempting to calm her friend down.

"That's not what I'm angry about," she admitted. Removing her hands from her face, Chloe simply said, "You know how I feel about Mitchell."

The blonde shook her head in amusement, "Beca isn't _so_ awful."

"Mitchell is an arrogant and obnoxious Quidditch player who thinks she can get away with anything just because she's good on a broom."

"You love Quidditch," Aubrey squinted at her friend, confusion evident at the diss of an excellent player, crossing her arms. "Besides, you just described your boyfriend perfectly."

"Tom isn't an elitist prick," she shot back, her mind wandering to the Slytherin Captain before returning to the reason for her undeniable anger.

"That's up for debate," she pointed out. "Honestly, I think you judge her a bit harshly. I mean she only Stupefied that boy because he stole someone's wand."

"I really don't care," Chloe stated. "I can't stand that conceited Chaser and that hasn't changed for years."

The Ravenclaw held back a smile, choosing to get her friend off the topic of Beca Mitchell, knowing that it would take hours to remove her from a rant, "While you were in Romania, did Elliot mention me at all?"

"You're a lunatic," the redhead giggled, glad to be able to stop talking about the single person that she could not get along with.

* * *

Beca Mitchell sat in the middle of the long Gryffindor table, the Great Hall filled with the buzz of conversations from the excited students. She took a long drink from her goblet, setting it down to find her best friends glaring at her from across the table.

"What are you staring at?" She glanced between the two, both of whom looked at each other knowingly.

"You keep looking at her," Luke pointed out, his head gesturing towards the end of the table nearest the professors.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Beca denied, making sure to keep her eyes trained on the two boys in front of her.

Jesse grinned, leaning closer to his friend, "We have this talk every year, Beca."

"Didn't she try to jinx you this morning?" the blonde boy asked, reaching for one of the treacle tarts beside him. Luke had been attempting to find Bumper Allen for most of the train ride to hopefully punch him, but he gave up near the end and instead chose to find his friends. Unfortunately for him, that caused him to miss the commotion that happened early on that day.

"Of course not." She went on to explain, "I think she wanted to, but she just threatened to deduct points."

"Stepping up in the world, aren't we?" Luke teased.

"Even Aubrey likes you at this point," Jesse laughed. "And she actually did jinx you once."

"We were third years, Jesse," Beca chided. "It was an accident."

Luke's eyebrows scrunched together, "I was there. It was anything but an accident. She wanted to send you into the Black Lake."

"The point is that Beale only threatened me and she even looked like she could potentially smile," the shorter brunette retorted. Beca looked back down the table, watching as the girl's auburn locks were tossed behind her in a fit of laughter. A true smile pulled at her lips, the redhead's blue eyes catching her own. She gave the Prefect a small wave, the only response she got in return was an icy glare as she turned back to her friends and ignored the Chaser.

"Careful, Becs, your crush is showing," the blonde said.

Jesse shoved the remnants of a jam doughnut into his mouth, licking his fingertips of the sweet before stating, "I think it's nice to see that Beca still has a side capable of having a crush."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her gaze falling on the goofy boy.

Luke threw his hand up in front of his friend's face, grasping her attention as he continued for the brunette, "He means that you're the star Chaser of the Quidditch team. Jesse, being the Keeper he is, is sought after by the more practical girls. I'm the Captain and Seeker, so the only girls who really like me are other Gryffindors. Now that leaves you, a member of the team who is unmistakably prideful of Gryffindor, but you're also one of the best Chasers Hogwarts has seen in years. Anyone who even remotely enjoys Quidditch is most likely harboring some secret crush on you."

"You're insane," Beca chided, recalling the fact that Luke more than his fair share of fans.

"There's a group of girls who show up to Trials just to watch you," Jesse countered. "And I can assure you that they're not all in our House."

"Beca Mitchell, you are the most unattainable person in this school and you make sure of that," Luke chuckled.

Rolling her eyes, Beca stressed, "You make me sound like a player."

"Quidditch isn't your only game," the younger boy joked.

"I've grown out of that phase," she challenged. It was true, though she had been known to flirt with the majority of girls at Hogwarts, over the past year she had pulled away from that and chosen to focus on Quidditch more than anything.

"You know, she's right," the blonde leaned back. He tossed his thumb over his shoulder towards the Slytherin table, "She's nothing like that Hartley prick."

"The irony," Jesse sighed. "Beca Mitchell is too much of a player for the ginger Prefect, yet her elitist boyfriend is just perfect."

"Tom is going to get what's coming to him on the Quidditch Pitch," Beca snagged a pumpkin tart from a tray to her left. "Olivia nearly broke her neck after he hexed her broom."

The sound of clanking glass drew the friend's attention towards the Headmistress, McGonagall standing before them and announcing, "You may all return to your dormitories. First years, your House Prefects will guide you to your Common Rooms, so please do not fall behind. Welcome to Hogwarts."

The desserts began to disappear from in front of them, Beca shoving the sweet into her mouth before it could go with the rest of the food. Luke let out a booming laugh at the sight, continuing their conversation, "Slytherin didn't deserve to win the House Cup or the Quidditch Cup. This year, we're putting Tom back in his place."

The trio walked towards the entrance to the Great Hall, meeting up at the end of the table and falling behind the new first years. Once in the corridor, the students began to spread out in search of their own particular Common Rooms.

"Stacie told me on the train that she had been saving up for the Hogsmeade trip, so we're planning on stocking up at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," Beca mentioned.

"I can't wait to watch Tom eat Puking Pastilles," Luke grinned.

"We just need to remember to cut off the purple ends," Jesse reminded. "I don't want him to be cured too soon."

" _Bloody hell_ ," Beca hissed, feeling along her robes. "I left my wand."

She turned and hustled back to the Great Hall, Luke calling out to her, "We'll be waiting!"

She ran along the Gryffindor table, easily spotting her dark wand against the lighter wood. Grabbing the item, she placed it back in the inner pocket of her robes, sighing in relief that she hadn't lost it. Still in a bit of a rush, but not quite as quick, she retraced her steps.

Her hands grasped at the entrance of the Great Hall, stopping her from toppling over a young girl looking around the corridor. The girl flinched, expecting the impact that never came.

"Whoah, there," Beca spoke in a calming voice. "Looking for something?"

She glanced behind her at the empty hall, her gaze finding the young girl once again when her wavering voice said, "I- uh- I don't know where to go."

"You just got sorted into Gryffindor, didn't you?" she asked, a soothing grin coming over her features. The first year nodded at her, swiping at a few tears welling up in her eyes. Beca's bottom lip found its way between her teeth as she checked down the corridor, catching sight of both her friends and the fleeting figure of a particular Prefect. "Come on, then. I bet we can catch up."

The brunette moved her hand towards the young blonde, the girl taking it timidly as the Quidditch star began to jog back in the direction she had originally come from. The first year kept up with her easily, glad that an older student had found her and was willing to help her. The two passed Jesse and Luke, both of whom had confused looks on their faces, but Beca simply winked as she hurried past the pair. Their footsteps resounded through the stone corridor, the noise dimming as they gained ground on the other first years.

"Excuse me!" Beca called out at the redhead. The Prefect didn't seem to notice, most likely thinking that she was attempting to get the attention of someone else. "Red!" she tried again, noticing the way the girl's shoulders straightened and her pace quickened to get farther away from the brunette. Shaking her head, the Chaser let out one more call, "Beale!"

"What!?" The Prefect spun on her heel, facing the approaching Quidditch player as she slowed her jog to a walk.

Beca smirked at the auburn-haired beauty, halting a few feet from the fiery girl as she nodded towards the first year holding on to her arm. "I believe you forgot something."

Chloe's eyes widened at the sight, her tone lightening a bit as she spoke to the girl, "Here, go on and catch up with the others." The girl looked up at Beca with her brown eyes, murmuring a small thank you as she nudged her toward the group heading for the Gryffindor Common Room. The brunette waved at her, the smile not leaving her mouth as she turned back to the redhead. "Where did you find her?"

"She was by the Great Hall," Beca explained. "Looked a little lost, so I figured I should return her before some of the Slytherins came along and forced her into their ranks."

"I'm surprised you didn't Stupefy her for standing near you," Chloe recalled the incident on the train earlier. She crossed her arms, taking a small step back from the Chaser.

"She didn't look like a thief," she joked, her smirk returning despite Chloe showing no sign of amusement.

"Well," Chloe bit her upper lip, her gaze falling to the ground as she bitterly replied, "Thank you."

"Anything for you, Beale," she took a step closer to the Prefect.

"I'll jinx you right here," the redhead asserted, her mouth in a tight line. "Don't even test me, Mitchell."

Beca put her hands into the air for the second time that day, surrendering, "I wouldn't dream of it."

"Good, now go back to whatever girl you have your eyes on this week before she realizes that she's being played," Chloe began to walk away, her steps echoing down the hall.

"That's not very nice, Beale," Beca quipped.

"Neither are you, Mitchell," she called back, not bothering to look over her shoulder.

Beca followed the girl down the corridor, being pulled out of her daze when two hands slapped her on the back and tugged her along. She yanked the pair back by their robes once she saw that it was Jesse and Luke, the two flying back a bit and nearly tripping.

"Really close to a smile there, Becs," Luke jabbed at her earlier comment. "She's definitely coming around."

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been," Jesse recalled, thinking back to their fourth year when the redhead had berated Beca for shoving him into the girl's bathroom on the first floor. Once he heard the screaming start, he had chosen to remain in the bathroom until it had gone silent and he deemed the corridor safe again.

"Shut up," she shook her head, wrapping her arms around their waists as the trio made their way to the dormitories with a safe distance between them and the fiery Prefect. "Beale almost sees me as a human being."

* * *

 **You know how much I love reviews! This is another one of the multichapter fics I'm writing at the moment, though I doubt it'll be updated as quickly as the other two since I'm about to go back to school and have very little time to even think. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think!**


	2. Quidditch Trials

**Chapter 2:** Quidditch Trials

Chloe Beale had her fingers wound up in her copper hair, her eyes glued to the Potions book on the table before her. She had been cooped up in the library all morning attempting to understand what Professor Slughorn had gone over days before, but she wasn't having much luck. She would much prefer to be practicing Transfiguration, a subject she truly excelled at, yet it was becoming obvious that she was struggling in a class she thought she was fine in after their last term.

With her mind in a completely different world, she didn't even notice the excited blonde rushing through the barren library towards her until a set of hands were grasping at her arm. A small yelp escaped the redhead, her free hand clutching at her chest while the other girl laughed.

"Merlin, you scared me," Chloe gasped.

Aubrey gave her head a playful shake at the other girl, "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Why? Did we have plans?" the frazzled Prefect asked, her eyes widening as she searched through her memories to recall whether or not they had agreed to do something that day.

"Are you serious?" the incredulous reply came. "Do you know what today is?"

"Saturday?"

"Quidditch Trials! How dense are you?"

The redhead let out a sigh, looking up at her best friend to state, "I have absolutely no interest in going to Trials."

"Are you sick?"

"Of Mitchell, yes."

"Chloe Beale," the blonde chastised, taking a seat next to her best friend and shutting the book in front of her, "two years ago I watched you and Elliot duel because he said that the Holyhead Harpies didn't deserve to beat the Chudley Cannons. Then I watched bats crawl out of his nose. Beca Mitchell would never interfere with your love of Quidditch."

"It's just an excuse for her to try and talk to me. I refuse to play along with her game," she countered.

"What's really going on?" Aubrey settled further into her seat, one eyebrow reaching for her hairline.

Taking a deep breath through her nostrils, Chloe stated, "Tom and I had a fight last night. Nothing serious, but I'd just like to avoid seeing him."

"You'd trade him for Quidditch any day," she smiled. "Are you going to tell me why you're actually avoiding it?"

"It's that damned Slughorn," the redhead pinched the bridge of her nose. "I was able to keep up in Potions last year. Now it's like the instructions are all lying to me."

Aubrey stood and grabbed her friend's hand, bribing in her delicate tone, "You're Chloe Beale. You'll figure it out soon enough. Plus seeing the new teams come together is much better than reading about Potions, and you know how I feel about studying. Either way, I have an unread _Daily Prophet_ for you in the off-chance someone attempts to speak to you."

Chloe glanced around the empty library before a small grin pulled at the corner of her lips, "Fine."

* * *

Though she had been excited upon leaving the library, Chloe's mood had taken an immediate turn once they were sitting in the stands and watching the four Houses spread out on the field. Trials were all held together, though they were spaced out so that each House could use the entire field freely while the other three went over rules, took a break, or simply spoke to the possible recruits.

The redhead idly watched as the Hufflepuff team searched for a new Seeker after Samuel Striker departed last year. She quickly lost interest in the search and picked up the _Daily Prophet_ beside her, Aubrey focused on the three teams on the ground more than anything else.

The friend's eyebrows both creased in unison for completely different reasons. Aubrey straightened in her seat, eyeing the emerald-clad Chaser across from them in the stands. Slytherin had held their Trials first, so the team was now roaming the field and watching the others to learn what they were up against that year. Except for their Captain and Chloe's boyfriend, Tom Hartley. Tom was talking to a group of Slytherin girls who were flirting with him based on their body language, though he didn't mind the attention and seemed to forget about his girlfriend whenever a girl spoke to him. The blonde kept her lips sealed on the issue in front of her.

Chloe, on the other hand, was focusing on the paper before her and paying close attention to the article that was plastered on the front page. She glanced at the image before her of an Auror who was attempting to move the camera away from him before reading the words surrounding it.

 **Muggle-born Violence on the Rise?**

 _Despite recent claims from the Ministry that Muggle-born violence is at its lowest in decades, this past month has seen four known Muggle-born wizards injured and one dead in what appear to be targeted crimes. Aurors have been working overtime to hide this uptake in crime that resembles those from twenty years ago. When asked why they were investigating five seemingly unrelated crimes, Aurors quickly told reporters to leave the area, though not before it was overheard that the victim was "yet another Muggle-born."-_

"Have you heard about this?" Chloe asked her friend.

Torn from her spying, blonde hair flew in the warm September air as she spun to look at her counterpart. "About what?"

"Attacks on Muggle-borns," the redhead stated clearly, her tone conveying disgust.

"Isabelle mentioned it at dinner one night over the summer, but I haven't heard anything else about it. Why?"

"Four people injured and one dead, that sounds like a reason to be concerned. Why hasn't the Ministry made any statements?" she threw the paper down next to her in a crumpled heap.

"They probably don't want to say anything before they can give the public more information. Isabelle says it had to be Dark Magic, but the Ministry stopped the _Prophet_ from mentioning that. Said they didn't want to alarm anyone."

" _Alarm_ anyone!?" Chloe shouted.

Aubrey placed one comforting hand over Chloe's, giving it a squeeze and saying, "Some wizards would overreact and make outrageous claims that a Third Wizarding War is coming. I believe the Ministry is just trying to keep things from getting out of hand."

"Things seem to be out of hand already," the redhead muttered.

Knowing that Chloe could go on for days about issues like this, she felt the need to take her mind off of it and pointed out, "Gryffindor is about to start!"

"Really?" she perked up, looking down at the field. "Where?"

"Beside the goals."

A group in scarlet was gathered around a tall blond man at the bottom of the first goal post, each player hanging on his every word.

"They're going to crush Ravenclaw this year," Chloe smirked.

"And what makes you say that?" the Ravenclaw Prefect challenged.

"You have some excellent Chasers and an even better Seeker, but Luke wants to win this more than anything. Not to mention Mitchell is set on destroying every team after last year's upset."

"Oh, so now you like Beca?" she laughed.

"I never said that," Chloe shot back.

* * *

"I know what some of you are thinking," Luke smiled at the group before him. "'Why the hell am I being forced through Trials when I was on the team last year?' Well, last year was a disaster and there were a lot of Seventh Years who got spots simply for being older. I'm Captain now and this is going to be based solely on talent. No one is guaranteed a spot, not even me or our star Chaser. With that in mind, I want you all to give it your very best. Show me what you can do on match days. Clear?"

"Crystal," Jesse shouted from the front of the group.

"Good. Beca, you want to tell them what we're looking for?" Luke asked, his head turning to look at his second-in-command.

Stepping forward to stand in front of the Captain, Beca smirked, "Quidditch is about working as a team. If you try showing off then chances are that you're going to fail. Last year, Gryffindor gave up over a hundred points because one Chaser kept the Quaffle instead of passing it to someone who had a shot. We almost lost someone's head because a Beater wanted to look cool and didn't pay attention to the team."

"They're gone now," Luke threw in.

"Exactly," Beca nodded. "We want people who play their best when they are with their team. At the end of the day, what matters is that we're a family and we look out for each other on and off the pitch. If you don't work with us then you don't need to bother being here. It's that simple."

"Excellent," Luke commented. "All of you understand?"

The group collectively nodded, some giving a nervous glance at the person beside them and others smiling at the people they had been playing well with for years now.

"We'll start easy. I want you all to just get comfortable and do a few laps, then we'll split you up." Luke began to mount his broom along with the new recruits, all of whom were a step behind Beca who was already well up into the air.

Jesse glanced up at his best friend, shaking his head at the smirking Chaser.

Beca tilted the nose of her Firebolt Supreme down to level with Jesse, her hair flowing behind her as she flew slow circles around him and called out, "Feel like racing, Keeper?"

"Bring on the thunder, Chaser." He smiled, shooting down the field before she could say anything else.

Her reflexes were still in pristine condition, her hands clenching the handle as she sped after him in a flash. Jesse had a few years experience on her, having been flying since he was a child while Beca had been 10 when she first touched a broom. Beca was quick, shredding the distance between them like it was nothing.

Her hair whipped behind her as she came up behind him, the wind rushing past her ears. They rose higher and higher, coming eye to eye with each person watching them in the stands. In past years, Beca would have winked at the groups of girls attempting to get her attention, but she had grown and was more focused on winning.

That didn't stop Jesse, on the other hand, who appeared to be distracted by someone in the stands and slowed down for an instant.

Beca noticed the change as she sped past him, his head craning behind him as she took time to weave between the towering wooden stands. She knew she had lost Jesse, but that wasn't what was important at that moment. She felt the wind in her hair, the smell of the freshly cut grass on the field overwhelming her nostrils, and saw everything flashing by her as if through color-enhancing glasses. She felt free in a way that only flying could make her feel.

She was pulled from her revery by the scarlet-cloaked figure pulling up beside her, her dark blue eyes finding Luke racing her. Despite her nimble frame and quick wit, Luke was just as fast with his muscular build.

"Want to show them how a real Chaser does it?" he yelled.

She didn't need to be asked twice. With a curt nod, she was diving towards the ground at the box she had helped Luke carry onto the field. She was pulling up along the grass, the blades being shoved back as she went by, and slid to a stop next to the worn trunk.

In one smooth motion, Luke pulled his broom from under him and was running on solid ground at the box. If anyone was born to play Quidditch, it was Luke Evans.

Beca stayed mounted on her broom as the Captain flipped open the lid and pulled the worn Quaffle from its space. He spun around to give her a nod, the ball coming up beside his head as she lifted off the ground again. With all the force he could muster, he threw the Quaffle at the stands across from him.

She was already gone, just a flash of scarlet in most curious onlooker's eyes. The red ball sailed up into the stand, threatening to hit some girls who had gathered to watch Trials, but Beca's left hand grasped the smooth surface of the Quaffle and held it close to her body. She slid to a halt, avoiding the group by mere inches.

One of the girls leaned against the boundary between the stands and the field, catching Beca's attention when she said, "You look good out there, Beca."

The Chaser recognized her immediately, the girl being a fifth year Hufflepuff by the name of Caroline Smithe. She tossed some jet black hair over her shoulder. Beca replied, "That's what they tell me."

She didn't entertain the girls for long, heading back towards the Gryffindor recruits who had landed in the middle of the pitch and were listening to Luke. Beca arrived just in time to hear the end of his instructions.

"-Pay attention to Beca. The only one I want in the air is Jesse and the rest of you stay here." She glanced up to see Jesse sitting comfortably in front of the goal posts and went back to Luke. "Ready, Becs?"

"Ready," she confirmed with a nod.

Beca went back into the sky, leveling with Jesse on the other end of the pitch. She didn't give him much of a warning, taking off before he could even give her a thumbs up. Luke sent Bludgers at her from the ground. Dodging was second nature now, her arm instinctively tightening around the Quaffle as she rolled to get away from the Bludger and felt the wind pulling at her robes.

With one fast motion, she pulled her arm back and threw the Quaffle at the right goal post near the bottom of the ring. This should have been an easy shot for Jesse to save, but he only noticed it once the people in the stands had erupted into applause.

Jesse glanced at the goal to his left and back towards whatever had been distracting him, Beca following his line of sight and finally understood what had been garnering his attention.

Up in the stands draped in Ravenclaw colors near the middle of the pitch were a large group of onlookers, but there were two specific girls separated from the rest that she recognized instantly. Beca glanced over her shoulder at Jesse, giving him a wink and then darting off towards the spot.

Though not as smooth as Luke's transition, Beca hopped off her broom and landed on the wooden steps with a thud. She straightened up, throwing her broom over her shoulder and heading up to the top of the bleachers.

"Afternoon, Aubrey," Beca told the blonde as she came to a stop, turning her head to the beautiful redhead with a smile, "Beale."

Chloe didn't respond, choosing to sit in dignified silence while the other Prefect perked up and said, "Hello… Do you need something from up here?"

Judging from her raised eyebrow, it was obvious that Aubrey had no idea what had caused the Chaser to diverge from Trials and come up to them.

"I do, actually," the brunette placed her hands and broom behind her back. "I was wondering if you could please stop being so distracting."

"Distracting?"

"Poor Jesse out there can't seem to pay attention to much besides you, so maybe if you could try to not be so pretty," she smirked at the Prefect as she blushed, the blonde now looking at the Keeper.

"I'll do my best," Aubrey laughed.

"That's all I can ask." With her real mission out of the way, Beca now turned to the redhead beside Aubrey. "You're quite distracting yourself, Beale."

Chloe crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the Chaser. Luckily for her, one of the younger Gryffindor girls below her had turned around to speak.

"I think you're doing just excellent, Beca," the fourth-year stuttered.

"Thanks," she grinned. Turning back to the two Prefects, she gave a quick nod and explained, "I need to get back. I hope I get to see you both around more."

"I'm sure you will," Aubrey called as Beca took off on her broom back to Trials. Aubrey turned back to her best friend and saw the disgusted look on her face, "That wasn't awful."

"That was horrible," Chloe commented. "She didn't really need to come up here just to hit on you."

Aubrey chuckled, "She wasn't hitting me, she was trying to let me know that Jesse thinks I'm pretty."

"How can you even stand Mitchell?" she asked, her eyebrows still pent up in anger.

"Beca and I have mutual respect. While I don't always agree with her methods, I've learned that she's just trying to do the right thing. It took years for us to build, Chloe, but we really do understand each other on some level," the blonde surmised. In a much softer voice, she proposed, "You really could be nicer to her. Beca isn't a bad person."

"I'm not nice to blood-purists," Chloe muttered.

The two sat in silence for a while, watching Trials as they continued to play out with the top choices becoming clearer as the seconds ticked by. It was when Jesse finally got a break from practicing as Keeper that Chloe noticed Aubrey waving at him until he noticed her. He smiled and returned the action, a spring in his step as he went back to the task at hand.

Just a few moments later, Aubrey waved at someone else down on the Quidditch Pitch. Chloe followed the action and managed to figure out that she was waving at the Ravenclaw Seeker, Stacie Conrad.

Chloe watched her friend out of the corner of her eye, "What is that about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Aubrey threw back.

Trials came to an end in a flash after Ravenclaw was finished using the field. Chloe wanted to head back to the castle to work on Potions, but Aubrey insisted upon going down to the pitch. The redhead followed her friend down the steps onto the green and quickly lost her when she took off into a sea of blue and scarlet clad Quidditch players.

Chloe waited on the sideline, silently hoping that she could leave without any incident once Aubrey returned. Her hopes were dashed before she knew it.

"Chloe?" Tom yelled, walking towards her with his arms outstretched in confusion. He came to a stop in front of her, her arms once again crossed over her chest. "I- I didn't think you'd be here."

"I always come to Trials," she pointed out.

He glanced over his shoulder at his teammates surrounded by some Slytherin girls, "I figured you wouldn't show to support me after our little fight."

Her eyes widened in surprise, Tom instantly making something simple about himself when she had never shown up to Quidditch solely for him. "Excuse me?"

"It's really sweet-"

"No," Chloe cut him off. "Don't finish that sentence."

"But I thought-"

He was cut off again, but this time by a flash of red that went over his head and nearly hit him. Tom glanced up just as Luke slowed down to continue floating above him.

"Is this man bothering you, Miss?" Luke asked Chloe, clearly enjoying that he was bothering the Slytherin.

"No, I'm not," Tom yelled back.

Luke didn't listen to him, waiting for Chloe to give him a proper answer, "Actually, yes. Just a little bit."

"Need any air support?" the blond asked.

"No, I think I can handle it," the Prefect grinned as she walked away from Tom, leaving him to deal with Luke all on his own.

Chloe watched as a different blonde rushed towards her from the crowd, a smile firmly in place as she took her arm and dragged her back towards the castle.

"And what was that about?" Chloe asked her friend.

"Just needed to congratulate some people," Aubrey assured.

* * *

 **Happy Holidays! Enjoy this present no matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year and expect more to come soon. I've been hard at work on these and wanted to finish them before posting, but could not resist some festive cheer.**

 **Reviews always brighten my day and I'd love to see some love for this little story.**


	3. Transfiguration

**Chapter 3:** Transfiguration

Professor Abernathy-McKadden meticulously paced back and forth at the head of the room, looking her students directly in the eye as she addressed them.

"As you've noticed, your desks have been replaced by mirrors today. The past few weeks you've been doing spells that you should have mastered during our last term, but now I'm going to throw you all into the heart of magic. I want you to simply change your eyebrow color, that's it. Does anyone know the incantation used to transform hair?"

Without missing a beat, Chloe Beale's hand had shot into the air. " _Crinus Muto._ "

"Five points for Gryffindor, Miss Beale," she said. "Human Transfiguration is one of the hardest forms of magic you will encounter here at Hogwarts, but I trust you will all be able to tackle this subject just like you did the others. With the grace and determination of a sloth."

From that point on, the sixth year's were essentially on their own. Professor Abernathy-McKadden roamed between her students and attempted to fix obvious things that they were doing wrong. A wrong wand movement here or a mispronunciation there.

It was nearing the end of the lesson and only two students had successfully altered the color of their eyebrows, Aubrey Posen and Chloe Beale. Aubrey's had turned an awful shade of pink while Chloe's were a deep green.

It was while Professor Abernathy-McKadden was congratulating the two that the entire class heard a small explosion from their ranks. Everyone jumped away from the noise and spun to see what had happened.

Instead of completing the assignment, Beca Mitchell had somehow managed to set fire to the mirror she had been using. The brunette was trying to hide from view behind her friend, though it was unsuccessful since Jesse kept moving out of the way.

"I think that will be enough for today," Professor Abernathy-McKadden dismissed the class with a sigh. As everyone gathered their books to leave, she calmly said, "Miss Mitchell, I need to have a word with you."

Jesse gave his friend a small pat on the shoulder, "I'll tell Flitwick you're running late." With that he was rushing out of the classroom, not wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Not so fast, Miss Beale. I need to see you, as well," the Professor called out to the fleeting figure. The redhead spun around in the doorway, stalking carefully forward to stand at the last row of desks.

Beca made her way up to the front of the room, glancing back at the Prefect who seemed almost as confused as she was about why the Professor would need to speak to the best Transfiguration student at Hogwarts.

"Yes, Professor?" the brunette asked, shoving her books into her bag nervously. She straightened quickly, hands clenched behind her back.

Professor Abernathy-McKadden made her way behind her desk, taking a seat and somehow managing to still be looking down at Beca despite the Chaser being taller in her standing position. With a concerned look on her face, she solemnly replied, "Miss Mitchell, you barely made it into this class. I do not take N.E.W.T.-level students if they receive Acceptable on the O.W.L., but you just managed to sneak by with a sub-par Exceeds Expectations."

"I'm aware, Professor," Beca mumbled, embarrassment causing blood to rush to her cheeks. Though she quite enjoyed the subject, she had always struggled with it and been much better at Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"It's rare that the Ministry takes an Auror who did not pass Transfiguration and they will not make exceptions just because of _your_ last name," she continued. "And I know that's what you've expressed interest in doing after Hogwarts."

"That's correct, Professor," the Chaser nodded. She glanced over her shoulder once more, gladly noticing that Chloe was too far away to hear any of their conversation.

"I'd rather not see you fail."

"I'd quite like to avoid failing, Professor."

The blonde woman gave Beca a small understanding smile. She didn't say anything else to the Chaser, now turning her attention to the Prefect in the corner. "Miss Beale, it would be much easier to speak to you if you were over here."

"Of course," Chloe was shocked to finally be called over, hurrying towards the front of the classroom. She came to a stop a fair distance away from Beca, most likely ensuring that she didn't come close to touching her. "What is it, Professor?"

"Miss Beale, you have proven yourself quite the Transfiguration student over the years. Miss Posen has as well, though I believe you're much better when dealing with other students," she explained with a short chuckle.

"I don't think I understand," Chloe tucked a strand of her copper hair behind her ear, a crease appearing between her now naturally colored eyebrows.

"You're my best student, Miss Beale," the Professor explained. "I would greatly appreciate it, and I'm sure that Miss Mitchell would as well, if you could tutor her."

"Excuse me?" the redhead burst out. Her fists were balled up at her side, gripping her robes with much more force than anyone could expect from her.

"I think you heard me correctly."

Chloe took a step forward, her fingers now grasping at the desk as she whispered, "You said that Aubrey is just as capable as I am. What if she-"

"From what I understand, Miss Posen has already taken two other students under her wing in different classes. You, on the other hand," their teacher paused to think through her next words carefully, "would be much more capable of taking on a student to tutor."

The normally well-mannered and respectful Prefect bit the inside of her cheek, arguing, "Honestly, I'm not quite sure that we can put aside our differences long enough to have a civil conversation, let alone study."

A single eyebrow raised slightly just as the woman in the chair placed her clasped hands before her mouth. "Really now?" She turned to the brunette and asked, "Do you have any issues with Miss Beale assisting you with your studies?"

Beca wasn't sure how to answer. She had absolutely no problem with it, but she was well aware that Chloe would have multiple problems. Despite how it may appear to everyone else, the last thing that the Chaser wanted to do was anger the redhead. With that in mind, Beca responded, "No, but-"

"Excellent," the Professor cut her off. She turned back to the other girl, the smile on her face showing that she was waiting for Chloe to return the sentiment.

Chloe took a deep breath, readying herself for a fight, "With all due respect, Professor-"

The blonde woman leaned forward in her chair and cut her off, "With all due respect, Miss Beale, you appear to be the only one who cannot put aside their differences to help a student in need. And as you are aware, here at Hogwarts, help will always be given to those who ask."

"I don't believe she asked for my help," the Prefect pointed out. She was visibly frustrated now, to the point that Beca was quite scared she could be hexed at any moment.

"No," the Professor agreed with a nod of her head. "But I am asking for your help. And it would be a great service to your house, Miss Beale. What do you say?"

With pursed lips and rage radiating off of her, Chloe Beale realized she had no choice in the matter. She fought herself to force the dreaded words from her throat, "Of course, Professor."

"Thank you," she smiled at the two, though they were so far apart that she had to turn her head slightly. Professor McKadden picked up her quill and began to scribble on a piece of parchment, absentmindedly saying, "You are dismissed."

Beca gave a slight bow. When she looked back up, she glimpsed a streak of copper hair flowing towards the door. The Chaser spun on her heel, taking off to catch up with the Prefect which was a much harder task than she originally imagined. For every powerful stride Chloe took, Beca was nearly jogging just to keep up.

"Beale," Beca managed. "Listen, I swear I didn't-"

"I don't want to hear it," Chloe snapped. She came to a halt, her books held tightly to her chest.

Beca slowed down to face her, noticing the fact that the redhead appeared to be shaking. Most likely with unbridled rage. "I didn't ask her to do that."

"Of course not," she dragged out, obviously not believing a word that came out of her mouth. "Why would you ever want to do something like that? Why would _you_ want to disturb _me_? Doesn't make any sense at all."

"Don't tutor me then, alright?" Beca shot back quickly. Heat began to rise into her face, her fists clenching at the other girl's accusatory tone. "If the idea of helping me pains you that much then just don't do it."

Chloe took a step back, her mouth agape at the sudden outburst. Though she was accustomed to being annoyed by the brunette, she had never actually made her angry. "What in Merlin's name is your problem?"

"Nothing!" the Chaser yelled. She had already been reminded of the power of her last name in the Ministry and she wasn't going to let Chloe Beale insinuate what most people already assumed about her from the name. "Like you said, I didn't even ask for _your_ help."

"Well maybe if you could get off your pedestal for two seconds-" she attacked, anger continued to boil in her veins at the disgusted tone as she began to speed away.

Beca cut her off. "Will you just help me!" she called out to the fleeting figure. She was loud enough that anyone in the courtyard could have heard her if it had been occupied.

Storming back to stare the shorter girl down, she bit, "Why would I ever help you?"

"Because I've never done anything to you," she explained. Chloe rolled her eyes and scoffed, but Beca held back another outburst to try and reason with the girl, "And I'm asking- no, begging you to just tutor me. That's all I want."

"That's it?"

"If you really can't stomach me after a few lessons then you can pass me off to some other Transfiguration master," she pointed out.

Chloe seemed to mull the idea over for a few seconds, but she didn't appear completely convinced.

The Chaser continued, thinking of the only thing she could, "I'd owe you."

"I don't want your Galleons-"

"Anything you want," Beca continued. "It doesn't have to be money, it can be anything. Just help me through this year and I will do anything you want."

The redhead chewed on her top lip for a second, imagining the endless possibilities. "I can just ask at any time?"

"Anything, anytime, anywhere," she confirmed. "You could ask for something in ten years and I'd still owe you. You can have as much time as you want."

Nodding her head slowly in thought, Chloe whispered, "When are you free to start?"

"What?" An incredulous Beca asked.

"You heard me."

"I- I have practice tonight, but tomorrow is good."

"Meet me at 2 in the library," she finished.

"Excellent," Beca replied, but she wasn't sure Chloe heard her since she had taken off for her class at a near run. She checked her watch only to realize that she was beyond late.

* * *

Beca pulled out of her dive to hit the ground with much more force than she had intended, rolling across the pitch until she opened her eyes and saw the blue sky above her swimming. It would have been a beautiful view if not for Jesse suddenly appearing at the edge of her vision.

"You alright?" he asked, taking her hand and hoisting her up to her feet.

"I'm _lit_ ," Beca enunciated, looking at the boy with a grin.

Jesse's face was slack in confusion, his eyebrows coming together, "You're on fire?"

"It's a Muggle word," Luke explained with a laugh. He turned his attention to the Chaser before him, "I'm not sure what Professor Smith is teaching you, but that is not how Muggles use that word."

"He said they use it when they feel good, and I feel great," she pointed out.

Luke waved for the team to take a break, most likely to give Beca time to recover from her fall, but he wouldn't say that to any of them. His arms crossed over his muscular chest, "Sort of. Most of them say it when they're at a party and about to drink too much."

"Smith doesn't know what he's on about," Jesse clapped her on the back. "Speaking of Professors, what did McKadden want with you?"

"I heard about you setting something on fire," Luke chuckled, taking a seat on the pitch as the other two followed his action.

"Yeah," Beca droned. "She told me that the Ministry wouldn't take me if I couldn't perform in her class, so now I have a tutor."

"A tutor?" Jesse smiled.

"Which lucky sixth year volunteered for that position?" the blond asked, running through the names in his head.

"No one volunteered," she elaborated, pulling her knees to her chest and confessing, "but she made Beale sign up for the job."

Both men froze in their place, neither having any words for that piece of information. They exchanged shocked glances, somehow thinking the same thing.

Luke voiced their concern perfectly with only four words. "But she hates you."

"I'm aware," Beca gazed at the stands above her, thinking through the events of the past afternoon.

"You're going to die," Jesse stated.

"I know you think that she's coming around to you, but she isn't. If anything, she's only gotten more enraged."

Beca's stormy eyes fell on her two friends, taking in the utter concern on their faces and realizing that they probably had a point. Yet somehow, in spite of the yelling match she had gotten in to and the rage that had been coursing through the redhead's veins, she couldn't deny one thing. "I think it'll be a good thing."

" _Good_?" The Keeper repeated. "How could this possibly be good? We're going to lose a Chaser!"

"Listen," she raised her hands to stop them. "At the very worst, she helps me with Transfiguration. At the very best, she might actually realize I'm not the devil."

Luke attempted to see her positive outlook. Hundreds of scenarios popped into his head, all of which eventually led him to say, "I'm going to miss you when you die."

* * *

Chloe Beale strolled down the dark corridors of Hogwarts, looking out the windows anytime she got the chance. Night had fallen on the grounds, allowing onlookers to see the beauty of the rolling hills and even the Forbidden Forest without having to hear all the chatter of students surrounding them. As Prefect, tonight was her turn to check the corridors before bed to see if any of the students were breaking curfew.

Though not the greatest of her duties, she had deemed it one of her favorites. It didn't take too long to roam her section and it even allowed her to wind down after a stressful day. Something that she greatly needed after that Friday afternoon.

She began to turn a corner, stopping short and returning to the cover behind the stone wall at the sound of voices. Chloe pulled her wand out from her robes, leaning to see who was out at this hour.

In the soft light of the moon shining from one of the windows, Chloe saw a dark-haired girl leaning against the wall while a familiar blonde stood extremely close to her. It didn't take long for her to recognize Aubrey, though the other figure was being partially blocked by the blonde's shoulder.

"You really shouldn't be out at this hour," Aubrey placed her hands on her hips.

"I just came to see you," the other girl informed with a seductive tone to her voice.

Her friend took a step back to glance up and down the corridor, revealing the brunette to be Stacie Conrad. "What if it wasn't me who found you? What would you have done then?"

Stacie leaned her head forward and laughed, "Obviously, I wouldn't have gotten caught."

"You need to get back to Ravenclaw's Common Room before I decide that I don't like you that much," Aubrey flirted.

"I love a good authority figure," the brunette teased. She began to walk towards her tower, one hand running down Aubrey's arm as she whispered, "I'll see you around."

The blonde stood there for a long time once Stacie had gone, shaking away the thoughts that were probably filling her mind. Chloe silently stepped closer to her friend, her back placed against the wall as she announced her presence, "What was that?"

Aubrey spun around, shock evident on her face. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," she grinned. "I've never seen you let someone breaking curfew go."

"You didn't see anything," she marched down the hall.

"I saw a lot," Chloe promised, skipping to catch up to her best friend. Teasing evident in her tone, the redhead quipped, "Are you giving out special favors now?"

"What did Professor McKadden want?" the other Prefect deflected. She glanced at the Gryffindor to see the way her shoulders slumped and the light in her eyes disappear from view.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Chloe felt the fire within her continuing to burn at the thought of earlier. Chloe groaned, "She asked me to tutor Mitchell."

"Of course she did," she stated as if it was obvious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she bit out.

"I figured she would ask me to do that after Beca lit a mirror on fire, but the Professors know that I'm already busy and you're the next best option," Aubrey's lips rose in a smirk.

"You _figured_?" she checked, the wording feeling as if Aubrey was in on a secret that she wasn't aware of.

"I helped her a bit last year," Aubrey explained, her hands behind her back. "Didn't do much, really."

Chloe stared down the corridor, dumbstruck. "I didn't know that."

"It only happened once and she asked me to keep it quiet. I don't think she wanted people to know that she was struggling, but she thanked me once our O.W.L.s. were done."

Chloe felt like she had been hit in the face with a brick. She had just assumed that Mitchell had asked for her in order to get close to her, yet it had never occurred to her that she might actually need her help. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to embarrass her," Aubrey mumbled in the dark hall as they neared her Common Room. "Beca's a proud person, I doubt she wanted me to spread her business all around the school. How does Tom feel about you tutoring her?"

The redhead thought for a moment. She hadn't told Tom yet and hadn't even been sure up until that point whether she was going to. "I'm not telling him," she announced. "It'd just make him mad."

"What doesn't make him mad?" Aubrey rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sure, but I'd rather no one know that I'm spending my time hanging around with Mitchell. I don't really want everyone thinking that I'm some blood purist," Chloe spat. In a much more settled and even melancholy voice, she added, "I wouldn't do that to my parents."

"I know they're proud of you," Aubrey assured, heat rising behind her eyes at the thought of Chloe's parents being anything other than proud of their brilliant daughter.

Chloe swiped at her eyes in one quick motion, attempting to be discreet. Aubrey ignored the action. Instead of continuing about the darker part of the redhead's life, she simply grumbled, "Fucking Mitchell."

The blonde let out a small sigh. She had many feelings about everything that her best friend did, but she rarely voiced her opinion on them unless she deemed it necessary. Somehow, in the very back of her mind, Aubrey Posen felt that Chloe spending more time with Beca might actually be a good thing for the redhead. She just wished she knew what gave her that feeling.

* * *

 **A little surprise for your Valentine's Day! Enjoy!**

 **Drop a review!**


	4. Fiery Tutor

**Chapter 4:** Fiery Tutor

The Gryffindor Quidditch team lumbered around their locker room in exhaustion, a few members already dressed in their street clothes and others stripping off their Quidditch robes with what little strength they had left. They had started practice immediately after an early lunch and had barely taken any breaks in their nearly three-hour practice.

Ever since the team had been chosen, they had been holding practices at least six times a week. Luke had discussed having them every day, but Beca and Jesse had managed to talk him out of that after an in-depth discussion of how the team needed time to finish homework or they wouldn't be allowed to play.

Beca tugged her shirt over her head and went to go sit beside the Keeper, Jesse Swanson. The young man appeared to be half-asleep with his head in his hands, a fact she didn't judge him for. It may have been early afternoon, but it was a miracle they were still awake. The pair had gotten up a little after dawn that Saturday morning to meet with Luke and discuss practice, meaning that they didn't get much sleep after discussing the season with him late into the evening the night before.

Luke's booming voice shook the room awake, many team members jolting upright to look at their Captain, "You all did great out there, but not great enough to beat Slytherin in a few weeks. We really need to work on our formations. Remember we have practice Monday night! I'll see you all then, so enjoy the rest of your weekend."

The entire team clambered to their feet and out of the locker room, excluding the three at the head of the room.

"We're improving," Jesse muttered with his head leaning against his locker.

Beca pulled her Firebolt Supreme from her locker, throwing it over her shoulder to take back to the castle with her. Ever since the Slytherin team had vandalized the Gryffindor locker room in her second year, she had kept all her important possessions close. She glanced at the tired boy, agreeing, "Improvement doesn't mean we're better than Slytherin."

"Exactly," Luke sauntered from the drawing board to his two friends. He towered over both of them, his muscular arms wrapping around their waists and leading them outside and back to the castle. "And we need to beat them. I'm not letting Tom best us again."

The trio continued up the path towards the enormous building that was brightly lit in the afternoon sun. Beca glanced up to see a dark-haired figure rushing towards them at an incredible speed considering they were just running. Once they got closer, she could tell that it was Stacie.

Instead of her usual greeting of jumping into one of their arms, she came to a halt in front of them by using Luke and Beca as a wall. The short brunette wrapped an arm around her to steady her.

"In a hurry?" the Chaser asked.

The Ravenclaw Seeker smiled and fell in step alongside them. "A bit. Cynthia Rose has a Patented Daydream Charm and I came to get you all before we tested it out. There's enough for all of us."

"I'm in," Luke chimed in without hesitation. He loved trying new items from the shops in Hogsmeade, but he had been talking about the Patented Daydream Charm for weeks now.

"Me too," Jesse threw his hand up as high as it would go at that moment, barely to his shoulder, to volunteer.

Beca thought for a moment, knowing that she already had plans and wishing that she could go along with them. "I have to meet Beale soon, but count me in next time."

"What?" Stacie spun around and began to walk backward in order to stare down her short friend. "Why are you and Chloe getting together?"

"She's helping me with Transfiguration," she explained.

"That clears up a lot," Stacie chuckled, turning back around. "If she was hanging out with you of her own free will, I was going to throw myself into the lake."

"You're a real confidence booster, you know that?" Beca shot back at the attractive girl.

"When are you meeting her?"

The Chaser readjusted her broom on her left shoulder. "I'm supposed to meet her at two."

Jesse slowed down, falling behind the rest as she studied his watch intently. His voice was laced with worry as he felt the need to say, "Beca. It's twelve after two right now."

Beca froze. She felt her heart fall into the pit in her stomach, her blood running cold as fear overtook her. Glancing at her own watch, she saw that he was correct. She was late. Very late.

"I'll see you all later," she yelled as she mounted her broom to shoot off towards the castle.

The three stood and watched her fly away, holding back their laughter.

"One Galleon says she gets jinxed," Jesse stated with a grin.

Stacie shook her head, "No way. It'll be a charm."

"Hex," Luke said firmly.

"We'll see," Stacie threw a wink over her shoulder at the two boys.

* * *

Chloe sat at one of the rectangular tables in the library, idly staring out the window at the Black Lake. She noted how the sun gleamed off the peaceful surface. The only sign that anything was alive in the lake was the occasional movement that rippled the top, but those actions were few and far between.

Checking her watch, she grit her teeth as she saw that it was nearly twenty after two. The redhead had gone through multiple scenarios as to why Mitchell hadn't shown up to their session. The obvious answer was that she had forgotten, but she immediately dismissed that. In her mind, the only viable answer was that she had ditched her.

 _Probably thinks she's too good for this_ , she thought to herself.

She tapped her fingers against the wooden table impatiently, the familiar anger she reserved for Mitchell beginning to boil. It felt like fire was creeping through her body from her core, taking over her mind along with it.

The redhead began to gather her things, placing them in her bag as she prepared to leave and find Aubrey instead of wasting her time here. Her head shot up as she heard the slamming of footsteps coming towards her, a sound she wasn't used to in the silent library.

Beca Mitchell was sprinting towards her at full speed, struggling to slow down at the correct table. Chloe crossed her legs and folded her hands on the table to await an explanation.

"I am so sorry," Mitchell panted, her breathing rapid as she leaned her body on the table. "I came here as quick as I could. I'm sorry, truly-"

The anger that had been building in the Prefect finally came to its peak as she cut the Chaser off by standing and walking away. Beca appeared dumbstruck, struggling to pull herself together in time to chase after the redhead.

Chloe was taking swift strides down the corridor, Beca clambering behind her.

"I have better things to do than sit around and wait for you to show up to a session that you asked me for," the redhead berated, her voice rising in volume as her rage came to a boil. "You may not care about anything besides Quidditch, but you better take this seriously. There are plenty of other people in this school who will give you special treatment, Professors included, but I am _not_ one of them."

"Please," Beca pleaded. Her legs were already weak, but she had to stutter to a halt as Chloe turned and began to back her against a wall. "Practice ran over and I lost track of time. I ran here from the Pitch, but Peeves was throwing things-"

The brunette saw the fire in the girl's eyes as she glared at her. Chloe Beale, in her clear and cold voice, stated, "You wasted my time. You wasted your time. If you aren't going to treat this as a priority then neither will I-"

"It was an accident," she swore. "It will _never_ happen again. I promise to always be early from now on. I swear. I won't waste your time."

Chloe paused to collect herself, looking at the sweat-drenched Chaser. The brunette had her broom clenched in her hand and part of her shirt was torn as if she had gotten caught on something. She sighed, knowing that she had raced to be here.

" _Never_ again," Chloe bit out. She retraced her steps, going back to the library at a much more reasonable pace.

"I swear this won't happen again," she said in a much stronger voice than before.

Beca held the split in her side as they went back to the table she had found Chloe at, the silence growing around them and making their situation tenser than it had been before.

Chloe opened one of her books in front of her and thought through how best to start their lesson.

"Transfiguration is probably the hardest branch of magic there is," she jumped into the topic. "It's not like charms where you can be a bit creative, you have to use decisive wand movements and intense concentration."

Beca nodded and placed her broom on the table. "I know the basics. I struggle with the whole performing spells part."

"It's not easy. It's systematic. Transfiguration requires a great deal of precision and focus. If you can't be precise in the spell or the movement, then it isn't going to work under any condition," Chloe said. She leaned over her book, searching for the section she thought may be able to help the brunette the most.

Beca glanced around the room as Chloe searched, catching a glimpse of a few attractive Hufflepuff girls looking through the aisles. She could feel the tension between herself and the redhead rising, to the point she almost felt stifled. The brunette thought through all of her options to diffuse the situation and looked back at the Prefect.

She noted how her features were simultaneously gentle and strong, making her one of the most beautiful women Beca had ever seen. Though that wasn't what she admired about her most. Chloe was brilliant in all her subjects and even had an amazing personality, or so she had heard since she always received the angry part of her.

The Chaser grinned and chose to get the redhead to laugh. Maybe that would make the air feel less smothering. "It's really hard to focus when there are pretty girls around."

Beca's grin was wiped off of her face the second that Chloe's gaze fell on her.

Blood rushed into Chloe's face and she felt the heat rise. The familiar twinge of anger had returned. For two seconds, she had actually believed that Mitchell could take this seriously.

Her wand gripped firmly in her hand, she jumped to her feet and cried, " _Confundo!"_

The seat that Beca was in suddenly jerked to the side and left her to tumble to the cold ground. She threw her hands out and narrowly avoided her skull cracking against the stones. When she looked up, Chloe was storming out of the library once again with her bag over her shoulder and her book in hand.

The brunette pushed herself to her feet, grabbing her broom off the table and walking past Miss Pince with her head held in shame. Irma Pince, the librarian, and Beca had their fair share of incidents, so this only added to the many other disturbances she had caused.

Shrugging her broom back over her shoulder and feeling the intense burn of embarrassment, she turned to walk out of the library and saw her three friends standing outside. It could have been her imagination, but she could have sworn that she saw both Jesse and Luke hand Stacie a Galleon.


	5. Lilies

**Chapter 5:** Lilies

Professor Longbottom stood at the head of the Herbology class, his sixth-year students hanging on to his every word. The class had started with the students turning in their essays on Snargaluff plants and how their pods can be used in practical circumstances, then they had gotten to actually handle the plants. It was truly a task for more than one person.

Near the end of class, Professor Longbottom had begun explaining how the plants had actually been used during the Battle of Hogwarts. Though none of them had been alive at the time of the battle, they had each grown up hearing about it from their parents. Some of them had heard less than others and a few actually had first-hand accounts, yet hearing about it from their Professor caused them all to focus.

"They were excellent traps for the Death Eaters. Even Peeves helped out with them, did something productive." The tall man looked at his wrist, seeing that his class time had officially ended. "Remember to bring your gloves next time, we don't want another missing finger. Class dismissed."

The students jumped from their seats and rushed out the door, though Beca Mitchell remained seated for quite some time. She had been contemplating how to apologize to someone for days now, but she hadn't reached a conclusion yet.

The brunette was pulled from her daze by Jesse grabbing her shoulder and giving her a small shake.

"Those thorns didn't get you, did they?" He joked.

Beca got to her feet, glancing behind her friend to see a few petals peeking out from one of the many plants around. The idea smacked her across the face like a Bludger.

"No, I'm okay. Just thinking," she droned. Beca bit her lip in thought, looking at her friend and saying, "I'll catch up with you in the Great Hall. I just need to ask him something."

She jerked her thumb behind her, referencing to the man removing his gloves and switching out his books between classes.

"Don't be too long. Luke might just have a stroke if you're not there to figure out practice schedules for the next week," he laughed at his own teasing. Jesse undid the front of his robes and spun around, heading towards the entrance to the greenhouse to go to lunch.

The Chaser placed her book gently into her bag, making her way over to the man that easily towered over her.

"Professor?" she asked, her hands fidgeting with the strap over her shoulder.

He caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye, turning to look at the short girl before him. "Yes, Miss Mitchell?"

Professor Longbottom may have been tall and lived through both a war and a career as an Auror, but he still managed to have an incredibly gentle demeanor. "I was wondering where I might be able to find some flowers."

"Flowers?" he repeated, one hand moving to fix the front of his robes. "What kind of flowers are you looking for?"

"Um-" Beca stuttered. Her plan was by no means fully formed. Truthfully, it really couldn't even be considered a plan. She saw some of the other plants in the room swinging around with spikes covering and their vines. "Ones that can't kill people."

The corner of his mouth twitched up in a smile. "What might these be for, specifically?"

"An apology," she elaborated with a smirk. "Flowers are the first idea I've had to say I'm sorry that wasn't completely mad."

"Would this have something to do with an incident in the library?" he quirked an eyebrow at his shocked student.

"Possibly," she confirmed in embarrassment.

"Word travels fast between faculty, Miss Mitchell," he explained. "But I might have just the thing. There are a few flowers in pristine condition right outside the greenhouse and I wouldn't mind one bit if you took a few. Just choose wisely."

"Of course, sir," Beca grinned at him. She turned to exit the room and begin her search, but the man behind her coughed to gain her attention.

"I highly suggest binding them together with some twine, so they're easier to keep together," he mentioned with a raised eyebrow.

The brunette nodded her head in appreciation, "Thank you, Professor."

"Anytime." Professor Longbottom went back to preparing for his next class, a smile still in place as he recalled the discussion that had taken place between the staff once they had all heard about one of Gryffindor's Prefects charming the Chaser.

* * *

Chloe sauntered up alongside Aubrey, having spotted her on her way back from dropping her bag off in her dormitory. She wrapped her arm around the blonde with a smile, a sentiment that her friend returned immediately.

"I was wondering when you'd show up," Aubrey joked.

The redhead laughed as she pushed some of her hair behind her ear, "It's random every day."

"How was class? Did anyone lose any vital organs?" the blonde asked with concern in her voice. It could have been a joke, but at this point in Care of Magical Creatures, it was completely possible to end up injured in the blink of an eye.

"Everyone lived," she promised. "A Kneazle got loose, so we spent most of our time trying to catch it instead of learning about anything else."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" the blonde sighed. "I'd tell you about Arithmancy, but I know you couldn't care less."

Chloe grinned at the girl as they walked through the entrance to the Great Hall. "You're so good to me."

The pair glanced around the room, catching sight of two of their other friends sitting down at the Hufflepuff table. Jessica and Ashley seemed to be inseparable, even when they were younger, but the fact was only proven when they were both sorted into the loyal house. Chloe and Aubrey made their way over, the two Hufflepuffs greeting them with warm smiles. They all didn't get to catch up often, so the conversation quickly turned to classes.

"Honestly, I love Arithmancy. Why none of you took it, I'll never know," Aubrey called the three out.

Chloe shook her head, red waves of hair falling into her face. "Care of Magical Creatures is far more interesting."

"You two are both mad," Jessica laughed.

Jessica and Ashley had the exact same schedule, but it wasn't predetermined. It just always seemed to work out that way. It was rare that they crossed paths with the other two, yet it was for the best considering that they all hated the classes that the others loved.

"Divination has us too busy to even think about other classes," Ashley giggled.

Aubrey rolled her green eyes, quipping, "Yes, making up the future must be so difficult."

Chloe was halfway to smacking the blonde's upper arm when she glimpsed Jesse Swanson and Luke Evans walking through the massive doors of the Great Hall. Her friends had obviously seen her change in demeanor, following her line of sight and seeming almost amused. Chloe's head fell into her hands, meaning that she missed watching as Tom, her boyfriend, brushed past the two Gryffindors with a smug look on his face. Aubrey, on the other hand, did not miss it.

"What's wrong?" the blonde Hufflepuff asked with a smile. "Seen a ghost?"

"If those two are here then Mitchell isn't too far behind," she groaned. Chloe threw her fork onto her plate with a clatter.

"Have you really not forgiven her yet?" Aubrey chuckled, causing the other two to look at each other in confusion. She looked back at the two boys, waving in their direction when she saw that Stacie had joined them as well. The Ravenclaw went back to her friends and leaned over the table, stage whispering, "Beca Mitchell called her pretty and Chloe jinxed her."

"I did not jinx her!" the redhead defended.

" _Charmed_ ," Aubrey corrected herself with a frown. "Either way, it was uncalled for."

Chloe's jaw dropped. She kept her voice low, though her tone portrayed just how angry she still was about the entire thing. "Uncalled for? I was explaining Transfiguration. Just because I'm pretty doesn't mean I want every person to tell me. I'd rather they take me seriously."

"Did it warrant the Confundus Charm?" Aubrey continued to call her friend out.

"She was probably just trying to get you to laugh," Ashley threw in, though she appeared to regret her decision when she felt the redhead's icy glare.

"If it had been anyone else in this school, you wouldn't have done anything. Maybe told them off. But Beca Mitchell is the only person you'd use magic on and it's just because of who she is," Aubrey said.

"I can't help how I feel about that disrespectful, arrogant, privileged, little-" she stopped mid-sentence when she heard a cough from in front of her. Turning her gaze up, she caught sight of the brunette Chaser she had just been insulting.

The other three appeared to be paralyzed, but Chloe felt her blood run cold at the sight.

"Beale," the Chaser spoke up after what felt like an eternity. She looked just as mortified as Chloe felt.

"Mitchell," Chloe's weak voice said. She went through the multitude of reasons that she despised Mitchell, feeling her composure and anger slowly returning her back to her normal state.

"I want to apologize for what I did the other day," Beca took a timid step forward. She seemed to be second-guessing herself, most likely fearful of what spell awaited her if she awakened the rage within the redhead again. "I was out of line. I should have been paying attention, but I was trying to be clever instead. You have absolutely no reason to help me again, but I can promise that I'll take this seriously if you choose to give me a second chance."

The brunette took another step forward and pulled her hands out from behind her back to reveal a small bouquet of flowers. She placed them down in front of the redhead. Without giving any more explanation or even waiting for an answer, she turned around and hustled to her friends who all had dumbstruck looks plastered on their features.

Chloe picked up the flowers, slowly turning them in her hand to examine them. They were all a pristine white, with orange-like pistils coming from the center. These just so happened to be a personal favorite of hers, and she even knew the name since there was a love of gardening in her family. She felt the familiar tug at the corner of her lip, though she covered her mouth to hide the half-grin as she looked at the white stargazer lilies bound together with twine.

It could have simply been her imagination, but the redhead could have sworn that she saw Aubrey raise an eyebrow in the direction of the Gryffindor table.

Beca sat down next to Stacie, completely ignoring the looks the three were giving her as she piled her plate with whatever she saw before her.

"What was that?" the Ravenclaw asked with a bemused expression. She leaned closer to the Chaser to rest her chin on top of her fist.

"What was what?" Beca played dumb, taking a long sip from Jesse's goblet.

Luke braced his forearms against the wooden table. "Ya know. A few seconds ago when you walked up to Chloe Beale and handed her flowers."

"What if Tom had been here?" Jesse asked, his eyes darting around the room to make sure he hadn't come back in while they were distracted.

"What would he have done? Tried to hex me in front of half the school?" the brunette smirked. "I'm more scared of Beale than I am of Tom."

The Captain of the Quidditch team gave his head a small shake, "I swear, you have some type of death wish."

"Probably," she confirmed.

* * *

Night had fallen on the school ground, throwing the entire place into a solemn darkness that was only broken up by the torches in the corridors. The Gryffindor common room was lit solely by the fireplace, shadows dancing along every surface to the beat of the crackling flames. Luke and Jesse sat on either end of the deep red couch, but Beca was on the floor with her back against the piece of furniture.

None of the trio were positive as to what time it was since none of them had classes the next day. Instead of homework or reading, they had decided to discuss the upcoming Quidditch season. Somehow that had turned into them arguing over which player in the other houses would give them the most trouble.

"Bumper Allen is a dumb prick, but he's a dangerous prick," Jesse referred to the Slytherin Beater in Luke's year. He was known to aim for people's heads, yet he had whacked a few players with his bat on more than one occasion.

Their blond friend scoffed at the accusation. "Please. He can't tell the difference between his bat and his broom."

Luke was convinced that Ravenclaw would give them trouble this year, seeing as Slytherin would be under extremely watchful eyes after all the tricks they played last year. Though he may have had a point, Beca was beyond doubtful of his idea.

"It's going to be Tom," she concluded. Her dark eyes were set on the flames, not even blinking as she spoke up for her side. "Since he's been Captain, he put all of his mates on the team and filtered out all the decent people they used to have. He's clever, elusive, and no better than the rest of his pureblood-loving family."

"McGonagall promised she'd keep her eye on them," Jesse pointed out.

"Doesn't mean they won't figure out a way around it," Beca countered.

The sound of the portrait hole opening pulled them out of their discussion, each of them turning to see who was coming in at such a late hour. Stepping through the entrance, Chloe Beale allowed the portrait to close behind her. She appeared to be observing the scene before her, though her feet carried her towards them with quick and careful strides.

Beca craned her neck to look up at the Prefect. The rage behind her bright blue eyes wasn't there that evening, apparently being replaced with something closer to empathy as she glanced between the two boys before returning to look down at the Chaser.

"Meet me down here tomorrow at noon," she breathed as if to not disturb the silence that had formed around them. "If you can keep your mouth shut."

The Prefect didn't give her time to respond and was striding towards the staircase as soon as she finished speaking. Beca turned to look over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of red hair before she had completely disappeared. The three heard the sound of the door closing upstairs.

"Bloody hell," Jesse mumbled, his jaw having gone slack.

Luke jumped out of his seat. He began to clap his hands together as he looked at his friend like a proud father. "You brilliant bastard."

"How did that work?" the Keeper looked between the two of them.

The blond man silenced himself and returned to his seat with a sigh. "I don't know what I just saw, but I know that I will never see anything like that again."

A smirk spread across Beca's face as she watched the crackling fire again, a warmth spreading from her chest through the rest of her body. Truthfully, she had no idea how it had worked, but she wasn't about to question her luck.

* * *

 **I am most definitely not leaving this story. I have been working on it these past few weeks and I wanted to have it all written before I published it, but I'd rather let you all continue to read while I continue to work.**

 **Leave a review!**


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